# Bible Commentary on Itself - Study ## Background - Started on 2026.09.21 as the result of various conversations with others about what the Bible is and is not. - Normally, I don't want to include the actual passage since it is readily available through many other sources. However, since this study is about what scripture says, I think it will be important to include the actual words. ## Questions - What does the Bible say about itself? - What are the verses that say, or don't say: - The Bible is the word of God? - Jesus is the Word? - If Jesus IS the Word, what does that mean? ## ToDo ### Study ToDo - Psalm 12.6 - Psalm 19.7-9 - Psalm 119.89, 105 - Isaiah 40.8 - Isaiah 55.11 - Jeremiah 23.29 - Matthew 5.18 - Matthew 24,35 - John 10.35 - John 17.17 - Romans 10.17 - Romans 16.25-26 - 1 Thessalonians 2.13 - 2 Timothy 3.15-17 - Hebrews 4.12 - James 1.21-22 - 1 Peter 1.23 - 2 Peter 1.19-21 - Revelation 22.18-19 ## TL;DR - Psalm 119 contains many references to prescriptive "forms" of "rules" that the author identifies as from God / the Lord. Since these forms of rules are from God in Psalm 119, it seems like a reasonable assumption that throughout the rest of the Bible, those forms of rules are also from God. Taking this one more step, then the Bible is from God. I fully acknowledge this is circular reasoning when viewed from outside the Bible. However, this study is all about what the Bible says about itself. So, to restate what I said earlier in this paragraph, there is overwhelming evidence within the Bible communicating implicitly that the Bible is the word of God. Determining the source of the Bible from an outside point of view is outside the scope of this study. {Psalm 119.1-8} - Jesus is "the Word of Life" {1 John 1.1} - Jesus is called "The Word of God." {Revelation 19.13} ## Chapter-by-Chapter Notes --- ### Psalm 12 #### Chapter Context #### Date {6} ##### Note Context The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold. {Psalm 12.6 (BSB)} ##### Notes ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[Psalm_012_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words ###### Topics --- ### Psalm 19 #### Chapter Context #### Date {7-9} ##### Note Context The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart; the commandments of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true, being altogether righteous. {Psalm 19.7-9 (BSB)} ##### Notes ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[Psalm_019_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words ###### Topics --- ### Psalm 119 #### Chapter Context #### 2026.10.02 {1-8} ##### Note Context - Your word, O LORD, is everlasting; it is firmly fixed in the heavens. {89 (BSB)} - Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. {105 (BSB)} ##### Notes - There are several phrases in this chapter that could be used to answer some of this study's questions. However, for the most part, these are implicit answers {0} - The author identified various "forms" used by God to communicate His "rules." These include: {1-8} - Law of the Lord {1} - His testimonies {2} - His ways {3} - His precepts {4} - His statutes {5, 8} - His commandments {6} - His righteous judgments {7} - It is my view that all of the above prescriptive communications from God are included in the Bible as well as numerous descriptive forms {1-8} ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes [[Psalm_119_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words - walk == [[H1980]] {1, 3} - law == [[H8451]] {1} - Lord == [[H3068]] {1} - testimonies == [[H5713]] / [[H5713b]] {2} - ways == [[H1870]] {1, 3, 5} - ordained == [[H6680]] {4} - precepts == [[H6490]] {4} - statutes == [[H2706]] {5, 8} - commandments == [[H4687]] {6} - righteous == [[H6664]] {7} - judgments == [[H4941]] {7} ###### Topics --- ### Isaiah 40 #### Chapter Context #### Date {8} ##### Note Context - The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” {8 (BSB)} ##### Notes ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[Isaiah_40_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words ###### Topics --- ### Isaiah 55 #### Chapter Context #### Date {10-11} ##### Note Context For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it. {10-11 (BSB)} ##### Notes ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[Isaiah_55_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words ###### Topics --- ### Jeremiah 23 #### Chapter Context #### Date {29} ##### Note Context - “Is not My word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer that smashes a rock?” {29 (BSB)} ##### Notes ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[Jeremiah_23_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words ###### Topics --- ### Matthew 5 #### Chapter Context #### Date {18} ##### Note Context - For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. {18 (BSB)} ##### Notes ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[Matthew_05_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words ###### Topics --- ### Matthew 24 #### Chapter Context #### Date {35} ##### Note Context - Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. {35 (BSB)} ##### Notes ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[Matthew_24_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words ###### Topics --- ### John 1 #### Chapter Context #### 2026.09.26 {1-5, 14-15} ##### Note Context - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. {1-5 (BSB)} - The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’” {14-15 (BSB)} ##### Notes - It seems obvious that "Word" in verse 14 refers to Jesus {14} - If Jesus is the Word in verse 14, then it seems reasonable to assume Jesus is the Word in verse 1. - The above notwithstanding, there is nothing in this chapter to connect Jesus / Word with scripture. On the otherhand are other verses that DO connect lowercase "word" with scripture. ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[John _01_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words - word == [[G3056]] {1-3x, 14} ###### Topics --- ### John 10 #### Chapter Context #### Date {35} ##### Note Context - If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken— {35 (BSB)} ##### Notes ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[John_10_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words ###### Topics --- ### John 17 #### Chapter Context #### Date {17} ##### Note Context - Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. {17 (BSB)} ##### Notes ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[John_17_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words ###### Topics --- ### Romans 10 #### Chapter Context #### Date {8-9, 11, 16-17} ##### Note Context - But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”d that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. {8-9 (BSB)} - It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” {11 (BSB)} - But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. {16-17 (BSB)} ##### Notes ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[Romans_10_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words ###### Topics --- ### 1 Thessalonians 2 #### Chapter Context #### Date{13} ##### Note Context - And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is also now at work in you who believe. {13 (BSB)} ##### Notes ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[1_Thessalonians_02_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words ###### Topics --- ### 2 Timothy 3 #### Chapter Context #### Date {15-17} ##### Note Context - From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work. {15-17 (BSB)} ##### Notes ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[2_Timothy_03_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words ###### Topics --- ### Hebrews 4 #### Chapter Context #### Date {12} ##### Note Context - For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. {12 (BSB)} ##### Notes ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[Hebrews_04_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words ###### Topics --- ### James 1 #### Chapter Context #### Date {21-25} ##### Note Context - Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls. Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does. {21-25 (BSB)} ##### Notes ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[James_01_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words ###### Topics --- ### 1 Peter 1 #### Chapter Context #### Date ##### Note Context - For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. {23 (BSB)} ##### Notes ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[1_Peter_01_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words ###### Topics --- ### 2 Peter 1 #### Chapter Context #### Date {19-21} ##### Note Context - We also have the word of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt. And you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation. For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. {19-21 (BSB)} ##### Notes ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[2_Peter_01_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words ###### Topics --- ### 1 John 1 #### Chapter Context #### 2026.09.29 {1} ##### Note Context That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have gazed upon and touched with our own hands—this is the Word of life. And this is the life that was revealed; we have seen it and testified to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And this fellowship of ours is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. We write these things so that our joy may be complete. {1 John 1.1-4 (BSB)} ##### Notes - John the Apostle wrote this letter identified in the Bible as 1 John. Even though he didn't state in the letter to whom he wrote, he gets right to the point in the first sentence; Jesus is "the Word of Life!" {1} - Side note: John did name a general audience for this letter, in the second chapter. In verses 12-14 he states that he was writing to: {1 John 2.12-14} - little children / children - fathers - young men ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[1_John_01_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words - Word == [[G3056]] - life == [[G2222]] ###### Topics --- ### Revelation 19 #### Chapter Context #### 2026.09.28 {13} ##### Note Context - Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war. He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God. {11-13 (BSB)} ##### Notes - It seems obvious that Rider is Jesus. Assuming that is true, then Jesus is called "The Word of God." {13} ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[Revelation_19_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words - Word == [[G3056]] {13} - God == [[G2316]] {13} ###### Topics --- ### Revelation 22 #### Chapter Context #### 2026.10.01 {7, 10, 18-19} ##### Note Context I testify to everyone who hears the words of prophecy in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and the holy city, which are described in this book. {Revelation 22.18-19 (BSB)} ##### Notes - Verses 18-19 are nearly the last two verses in the entire Bible. {18-19} - Although the scope of the warning seems to be limited to the book of Revelation, the consequences are extreme! {18-19} - On the other hand, for those who keep the words of the prophecy, there is a blessing waiting for them {7} - It is interesting that John seemed to further limit the scope to those who "hear" "the words of prophecy in this book" {18} - John was told to NOT seal up the words of prophecy in this book {10} - Not sure about the significance, but the phrase "words of prophecy" occur 4 times in this chapter {7, 10, 18, 19} ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes - [[Revelation_22_Notes]] ###### Strong's Words - hear == [[G0191]] {18} - word(s) == [[G3056]] {18, 19} - prophecy == [[G4394]] {18, 19} ###### Topics --- ## Other Notes - ## Format ``` ### Chapter #### Chapter Context #### Date ##### Note Context ##### Notes ##### Links ###### Scripture Notes ###### Strong's Words ###### Topics ```